Business Daily from THE HINDU group of publications
Wednesday, Sep 26, 2007
ePaper
Business Daily from THE HINDU group of publications Wednesday, Sep 26, 2007 ePaper |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Logistics
-
Air Cargo Industry & Economy - Exports & Imports Government - Policy Importers unhappy over new dwell time norms for airports
“There is a chain of process involved at airports on which the trade exercises no control, before any cargo that lands at the airport is made ready for delivery to the consignee. It is almost impossible to clear the cargo in three days and importers would end up paying demurrage to the airports.” Our Bureau Chennai, Sept 25 Importers are unhappy that a notification of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, effective from October, restricts the free dwell time of cargo at airports to three days, down from five days now. Today, the Madras Chamber of Commerce and Industry said that the cargo clearing processes at the airport are beyond the control of the importers. Bringing down the dwell time — the free time allowed for cargo to stay in the airport free of charges — will, therefore, hurt importers, the chamber said on Tuesday. Mr J. Krishnan, Chairman, Expert Committee on Logistics, MCCI, noted at a press conference today that it typically took about eight hours for the airline to handover the cargo to the ground handling agents. The agents later hand over the cargo to the Custodian — the agent appointed by the Customs to hold the cargo until the duties are paid, usually Airports Authority of India. ‘No control’“There is a chain of process involved at airports on which the trade exercises no control, before any cargo that lands at the airport is made ready for delivery to the consignee,” Mr Krishnan said. Even when the trade was allowed five days of dwell time, it was touch and go. Now, it is almost impossible to clear the cargo in three days and importers would end up paying demurrage to the airports. Mr Krishnan said that the notification was brought in without any consultation with the trade. The trade is also peeved over the basis on which the dwell time is calculated. The day the plane touches down is the first day. For example, if the aircraft touches down at 11 pm, one day is counted by midnight. At Chennai, two ground handling agents, Air India and Indian Airlines (still two separate entities) do not work between 10 pm and 8 am. They practically do not work on the second Saturday of the month. Airport Authority of India, the Custodian, is also a ground handling agent at the airport. “It is often noticed that the AAI gives priority to the cargoes handled by it over that of Air India and Indian Airlines,” says a background note of the chamber. ‘Clear cargo within 3 days or pay penal charges’ Govt plans to reduce time for cargo clearance at airports More Stories on : Air Cargo | Exports & Imports | Policy | Airlines
Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page
|
Stories in this Section |
|
The Hindu Group: Home | About Us | Copyright | Archives | Contacts | Subscription Group Sites: The Hindu | The Hindu ePaper | Business Line | Business Line ePaper | Sportstar | Frontline | The Hindu eBooks | The Hindu Images | Home |
Copyright © 2007, The
Hindu Business Line. Republication or redissemination of the contents of
this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of
The Hindu Business Line
|